This thread is long overdue, and for that I apologize. Following are some clarifications concerning the News and Articles forum.

-First and foremost, fora-wide rules apply in N&A. You can find those here.

-Understand that News and Articles is a discussion- and debate-oriented forum. People are going to butt heads, and to be buttheads, and you should prepare yourself accordingly. To that end, moderators are not going to step in every time someone makes a snide comment or relies on spurious logic to make their point. The "report post" feature is an excellent way to let us know that a particular post offends you because it brings the post to the attention of the moderators. What action should be taken, if any, is the judgment call of the mods.

-With that said, we also expect participants in this forum to show at least a modicum of restraint in their interactions with other contributors. Combative environments can be enjoyable and help you solidify and/or change your stance on issues, but mixing your point with ad hominem decreases the chance that your message will make it through to the intended recipient and increases the chance that they will bristle at your statement and dig in a little further. Tautologically enough, ad hominem attacks without point are pointless, and they have no part in debate. Depending on our judgment and the egregiousness of the violation, consequences for such comments may include, but are not limited to, mod text edits, formal warnings, time-outs from the thread, and temporary or permanent bans from N&A.

-Threads that get out of hand with argumentation or become personal battlegrounds are subject to locking or other moderator action as appropriate.

Now, go forth and seek ye enlightenment.

kira wrote:*piles up some limbs and blood and a couple hearts for good measure*GUYS. I MADE A HUMAN. *...pokes at it with a stick*